If sound quality is reduced when using Bluetooth headphones with your Mac

Learn how Bluetooth headphones connect

If you listen to music or other audio via Bluetooth headphones, and then you open an app that uses the Bluetooth headphones' built-in microphone, the audio quality and volume are reduced. You might also hear static or popping sounds.

This happens because Bluetooth has two modes: one for listening to higher-quality audio, and another for both listening and speaking through the microphone. When Bluetooth switches to the second mode, the quality of the audio that you're playing is reduced until the microphone is no longer in use.

Close apps that use the microphone

If sound quality is reduced when using Bluetooth headphones with your Mac, quit any apps that use the Bluetooth headphone's microphone, and make sure that the Sound pane in System Preferences isn't open.